Friction-clutch.



No. 833,537. PATENTE) OCT. 16, 1906- P; MEDART.

PRICTIQN CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.29, 1906. 2 SHEETS-$EBET l' mm i, i

N0. 833,537. PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906. P. MEDART.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 14113.29. 1906.

WTE@ STATES PATENT OhiiE.

PlillLlP MEDART, OF S'l. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOWILLIAM MEDART., OF ST. LOUS, MISSOURI.

Fauchon-muren.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented eet. 1e, ieee.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that l, PHILIP MEDART, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of St. Louis, in. the State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches, ofwhichv the following is a specification. f

My invention relates to friction-clutches of the class in which dividedrings or segments are adapted to engage the rim of a pulley or otherpart to be driven and are expanded and contracted by link connectionsbetween the ends of the segments, which are operated by connections witha sleeve or ring shifted by a lever or other operating device. y Afriction-clutch of this class 1s shown in my United States Patent No.788,726, of .May 2, 1905. A

VThe object of my present invention is to improve clutches of this classin such manner as to make them more simple, compact,-

and cheap in construction, more easily adjusted, and more secure andreliable in operation.

My invention may be embodied in a clutch adapted to connect aband-pulley to a con'- tinuously-runnin line-shaft or in africtioncoupling in whicli the ulle is'ast on the driving-shaft and theot er c utch member is fast on another shaft placed end to end with thedriving-shaft. l ln carryin out my invention in the preferred way t epulley is made with a sufliciently "wide rim to afford on one side ofthe spokes or web an annular friction-surface on its inner side. Twonearly semicircular wooden segments are emplo ed which are adapted toengage the inner si e of the pulleyrim. `At the1r` opposite ends thesegments are joined b y togg e-links of novel construction which arepivotally connected with radially-moving blocks carried by a supportingame or driver keyed to the drivingshaft. These blocks are connected bylinks to a rin lor sleeve operated by a lever and mounte to slide in adirection parallel to the axis of the driving-shaft. The arrangement issuch that when the blocks kare moved outward to appl the segments to thepulley the pivot-pins w 'ch connect the inner ends of the links to therin are moved inward beyond the vertical p ane of the pivots whichconnect the outer ends of the links withthe blocks, and thus the blocksare automatically locked in their outer position and thefrictionsegments are held securely in engagement With the pulley.

The toggles which connect the sliding blocks wit the segments at one endof the driver are lconnected to the segments b nonadjustable shoes,while the shoes whic connect the toggles at the opposite end of thedriver tothe segments are adjustabie, so as to permit a proper operationof the mechanism and to com ensate for wear.

The togg e-links are provided with shoulders so formed that when thesliding blocks aremoved inward to withdraw .thev segments from the rimof the pulley said shoulders will engage each other and limit thepivotal movement of the to gies, and the tog les are formed with ot l ershoulders whic abut against the ends of the driver and also limit themovement of the toggles in such manner that a symmetrical movement aofthe segments on both sides oi: the driver is insured.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a bandpulley equippedl with my im roved friction-clutch, the clutch mechanismein shown in section on the line 1 l of Fig. 2. lgig. 2 shows a verticalcentral section on the line 2 2 cf Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view, onan enlarged scale, partly in side elevation and partly in section,showing the ad'ustable connections between the sliding bloc at one endof the driver and the adjacent ends of the friction-segments. Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the member of one of the adjustable shoes which isattached to the end of a friction-segment. Fig. '5 is a perspective viewof the adjustable member of the shoe. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view ofone of the fixed members of one of the adjustable shoes. Fig. 7 is adetail view illustrating the movement of the toggles and showing how theinward movement thereof is limited or controlled in such manner as to rovide for a symmetrical application of the iction-segments on oppositesides of the driver. Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the to gieswhich connect the shoes to the sliding b ocks. Fig. 10 is a perspectiveview of one of the shoes which connects the toggles at one end of thedriver with the irictionse ents.

the drawings I have shown my improve- Y tion of the rim.

vmounted loosely on the driving-shaft B.

-An oil-hole B2, closed by a screw-plug b2, is

`between their opposite ends and serve to ments embodied in a clutchadapted to connect a loose pulley with a driver fast on thedriving-shaft. It will be understood, how: ever, that my improvementsmay be embodied in friction-clutch es, frictioncouplings, or otherkinds. As shown, the. pulley A js l'. has a rim a projecting fromopposite sides of the spokes b and is preferably slightly wider on 'oneside than on the other, and it is suitably finished to provide'anannular frictionsurface a on the inner side of the wider por- Babbittmetal B is preferably interposed betweenthe pulley-hub and the shaft, sothat the shaft may revolve freely within the hub when the pulley isuncoupled.

rovided, as usual, for supplying a lubricant. It will thus be seen thatthe pulley is of usual or well-known construction. Substantially nochange need be made in ordinary pulleys to apply my improved clutch,except that a suitable friction-surface a is furnished. To the shaft Bis rigidly secured a supporting frame or driver com rising a hub c andtwo radial arms C C. he driver serves to support on the driving-shaftthe friction-segments l) D', which together form nearly a complete ringwithin the rim of the pulley. They are normally out of contact with thepulley-rim, but are adapted to bear against the friction-surface athereof when they are expanded. The segments may be made entirely ofwood, but prefera ly they are backed by metal strips D", secured to thewooden segments by bolts d. Rods D3, projecting radially from oppositesides of the` driver, connect with the segments midway brace them andpreventsidewise movement thereof. These rods are rigidly attached to thedriver, but are loosely connected with the segments for the purpose ofallowing the segments to move inward to a slight extent wh en the clutchis uncoupled. These rods are shouldered, d, to limit the inward movementof the segments. The sockets d2, into which the outer ends of the rodsextend, have their opposite sides closed by vertical walls, so that t erods will hold the segments against side- Wise movement.

Each arm of the driver is formed with a radial slot E, in Which movesradially a block l F, which is connected to the toggles at opposite endsofthe se ments and also to a ring or sleeve sliding on the' hub of thedriver. Each block F is formed with a middle ortion f, which fits the,opposite radial waiis of the slot E, and it has flanges f', whichembrace the driver on opposite sides of the slot, and so serve to holdthe block in lace against sidewise movement, While al owing it to movefreely in a radial directiont Each block F is formed with lugs f2, tewhich is jointed, by means'of a pin h, a link H, the

opposite orv inner end of which is jointed, by means of a .pin h', witha ring or sleeve` I,

mounted to slide on the hub c of the driver.4

The ring I is of usual construction and is o erated by a lever J in theusual way; but t e arrangement is such that when the ring I is movedinward to its full extent toward the driver it causes the pivot-pins hto be moved beyond the vertical plane of the pins h, which connect thelinks H with the radially-sliding blocks, and in this way the blocks areautomatically locked in their outermost position and cannot moveout ofthis position until the ring I is positively moved outwardly on the hubc by the lever J.

It will be understood that when the segments are applied to the pulleypressure is ap-' lied endwise on the links H, so thatthey are iield verylirmly in...t,h'e position to which they are adjusted. There is noliability of their shaking loose as the pulley rotates; but when thepivots h are moved outward from the driver beyond the vertical plane inwhich the ivots h are located the clutch may readl y be uncoupled.

The block F at one end of the driver is connected by toggle-links K withmetal shoes L, rigidly attached to the adjacent ends of the segments.One of these shoes is shown \in erspective in Fi 10. As there shown anas also indicate in Figs. 1 and 2, each shoe L comprises a flanged platel, secured to the end of a segment, and a bifurcated projection Z',which receives the outer end of a toggle-linkK and to which the link isivoted. The toggle-links K are of the form s own in Figs. 8 and 9 andare pivoted tothe outer end i of the adjacent block F in the mannershown in Fi s. 1 and 2. It will be observed that the b ock F isformedwith lugs fa f4, which receive between them the overlapping inner endsof the toggles, and a pin M, passing through the lugs and the toggles,serves to pivotall connect the toggles to the block. l

The s iding block F at the opposite end of the driver is precisely thesame in construction as that just described, and it i's connected ICOIIO

with the toggile-links K in the same manner,

but the togg es are connected with the adjacent ends of thefriction-segments by adjustable shoes in the manner presently described.

yBefore explaining this adjustable connection I will cali attention toan important feature of construction shown in Figs. 3, 7, 8, and 9. Itwill be observed by reference to Fig. 7 that the outer ends of the'slots E have diverging inclined surfaces g and that the toggles areformed with shoulders 7c k k2. When the toggles are drawn inward by theblocks F, the shoulders 7c k strike the ends of the driver on oppositesides of the slot E and the shoulders k2 abut against each other. Inthis Way the movement of the toggles is limited and a' symmetricalapplication ofthe strikes the end ofthe driver beforethe other,

D shoulders it cannot move farther. Therefore the other tog le is givena--further movement and .is ma e to assume precisely the saine ositionas the tolggle first mentioned. ien the 2 come together, no furtherpivotal movement can be given to the tog les7 and, as before stated,when thea-shoulders 'kjkz strike the ends of -the driver a furtherinward movement of the toggles is prevented. The constructionthusdescribed is the same at o posite ends ofthe driver.

T e adjustable shoes are clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 of thedrawings, and they also appear in Figs. 1 andl2. Each shoe'comlgrisestwo members N and O. The member consists of a casting formed with a flatsurface adapted to lie against the inner side 'of a segment at its endand a flange n, which overlaps the end of the segment. On its oppositeside the casin is formed with a recess N, provided with .ovetaileclgrooves n to receive the member 0, and it has a downwardly-projectingilange or lug n2, which receivesl an adjusting-screw P. .The member O(shown in Fig. 5) consists of a casting formed with dovetailed ribs o,adapted to enter the grooves n', and arecess o to receive the end of oneof the toggles K It also is formed with a portion o2, against which theset-screw P works. The member N is rigidly attached by bolts n3 to thesegment, while the member O is adjustablein' the member N. By means ofthe set-screw P the member .O may be so adjusted as to cause thepivot-pin m, that connects the toggle with the member 0, to assume thedesired position, and when adjusted to the desired position the member 0may be locked against further `movement by means of a set-screw Q. Itwill be understood that the adjustable shoes on opposite sides'of oneend of the driver are the same in construction and are adjusted in thesaine way, so that the 'pivots m can be made to assume the properposition to give the desired movement lto the friction-segments. Noadjustment of the links H is required, as all necessary adjustment. isafforded by means of the adjustable shoes, whether it be to take up wearoccuring on the Wooden segments or to vpfrovide for a greater orlessapplication of force to the segments. It will be understoodthatno matterwhat ma be the adjustment of the shoes the toggies move inward towithdraw the segments 'always to the same extent' and are always stoppedin their inward movement in the manner illus-v trated inl Fig. 7, sothat the segments can never be withdrawn to'such an extent as to.

unduly bend them or move them out of properfposition. TheA adjustment ofthe shoes also'govei'ns the movement vof the links H. By properadjustment of the shoes thelinks may be made to always move to theposition .shown in Fig. 2 when applying the clutch in such manner as tobe self-locking, as before explained..

claim as my invention- `1. 'In afriction clutch or coupling, comprisinga driving and a driven part one of which is provided with twoexpansiblesegments, t e combination -of a supporting` frame or driver towhich thesegments are connected at one end, toggles interposed between theopposite ends of the segments, a

radially-moving block to which the toggles are pivotally connected,shoes` rigidly attached to the adjacent ends of the segments and havingmembers independently adjustable Atoward and from each other and towhich the toggles are pivotally connected, a ring or sleeve movable in aline arallel with the axis of the driving-shaft, a link pivotallyconnected with-the sliding block and a ivot connecting the inner end ofthe link wit the ring or sleeve the' axis of which is free to swinginward'beyond the vertical plane of the pivot which connects the linkwith the sliding block whereby the parts are locked, substantially asspecified.

2. The .combination of the friction-segments, a driver connected at oneend with the segments, a radially-slidin block carried by the oppositeend of the river, toggles pivotally connected `with said block and shoesrigidly attached to the adjacent ends of the segments and having membersindependently adjustable toward end rom each other and which arepivotally coiinected with the toggles. f

3. in a friction clutch or coupling, the combination offriction-segments, a driver, a radiall -movin block carried by thedriver, a togg e pivota ly connected with the block, a shoe member riidly attached to one end of a segment, an a justable member mounted toshde in the other member of the shoe, an

adjusting-screw carried by the lirst-mentioned member of the shoe andengaging the adjustable member, and a locking-screw carried by thestationary member of the shoe and engaging the movable member thereof.4. in a friction clutch or coupling, the

TIO

combination of friction-segments, a driver, a

radially-slidin block carried thereby and toggles ivota ly-connectedwith the adjacent en s of the segments and with the radially-slidingblock which are shouldered on their upper sides to limit'their movementinward toward the axis of the driving-shaft.

5.l In a friction clutch or coupling, the combination offriction-segments, a driver, a radially-sliding block carried therebvand toggles connecting the block with a jacent ends of the se ents,said toggles being providedv with s oulders which abut against eachother when `the segments are being withdrawn or uncoupled, andother-shoulders #Whehsstrike' the kadjacent.`- slidv of the 'driver' toimit the inWardmovement ofthe tngges, substantially as s ecied. -6. Afriction c utah or couplngfcemprisng 'friction-segments, -h a driver, a`mdsllljysliding -bloek carried thereby, .adjustable shoes oml`:adjacent ends of the segments'nd togglss commes/tingLA the adjustableshoes with ythe.x:mii,ally-slidn bloek, said toggles 'being'-formedfwithssho ders whchubut against each-ether. as the slidn block:meves'rad ally nwardfand with ot ershoulders #which strike theadjacentend f' the dn'ver'forthe purpose-speeled.

.-7. The-'eombnation vof retiolbse ents having mdal-seeketsintermedatetheu ends,

temes? for thel purpose speeed.

Af n testimony-whereof havehereunto'subscribedlmy neme. A

BHHJIP MEDART. Witnesses LEO SASMEUR, G. WMJSENN.

